“Take for yourself the maxim of the apostle,
“May I never boast of anything but the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ!” (Gal
6:14). Put Jesus crucified in your heart, and all the crosses of this world
will seem to be roses. Those who have felt the puncture (stabs) of the crown of
thorns of the Saviour who is our head will in no way feel any other wounds” (Letters 1420).
Welcome to this Blog-site of the Philothea Family embracing and living the spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Word of Life Bible Study Programme
"Let the word of Christ in all its richness dwell in your hearts" (Col 3:16) |
“Listen to him” (Mt 17: 5) |
“Grant that as they meditate
constantly on your word,
they may grow in its wisdom and faithfully
proclaim it to your people”
(Blessing of the
Lectors, Ritual).
|
“Believe
what you read, teach what you believe and preach what you teach” |
Message for the Season of Lent
“Lent is the autumn of the spiritual life
during which we gather fruits to keep us going for the rest of the year. Enrich yourselves
with these treasures, which nobody can take away from you and which cannot be
destroyed. I am accustomed to say that we will not spend Lent well unless we
are determined to make the most of it. Let us, therefore, spend this Lent as if
it was our last, and we will make it well. Listen to the Sermons, because holy
words are pearls; they are ships of infinite mercy – the true ocean of the
East” (Letters 329).
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Feast of Saint Francis de Sales
The Lord is my strength and shield
Dear Philothea!
Our father Saint Francis de Sales possessed great trust in the provident
love of the Heavenly Father, and asked his spiritual children to cultivate the
same. This is one of his well-known teachings on the subject:
“Do not look forward to what may happen
tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of
you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He
will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all
anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: The Lord is my strength
and shield; my heart has trusted in Him and I am helped. he is not only with
me, but in me and I in Him” (Saint Francis de Sales).
Jesus our Lord and God said: “Think of the ravens.
They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouses and no barns; yet God feeds
them. And how much more you are worth than the birds! Can any of you, however
much you worry, add a single cubit to your span of life?
Wish you a trustful week.
Peace!
Fr. George
God's ways and our ways
Dear Philothea!
Many times we don’t understand God’s ways – that is, His ways of leading
us in holiness. We want our life to go on smoothly without any problems,
without anyone challenging us for our failures and so on. In short, we are
hesitant to take the food that God offers, and prefer to follow our own tastes.
This is how our Father Francis de Sales describes this state of our heart!
“God gave the children of Israel manna in the
desert, a most delicious food; and what happens? They do not want it but set
their heart on the garlic and onions of Egypt. Our miserable nature always
wants to have things its own way and not God's way” (Selected Letters 59)
Let us accept the “food” that God has prepared for us, even if at times
it is bitter. God’s ways are for our final salvation; instead our ways may lead
us to perdition.
Wish you a wonderful week.
Peace!
Fr. George
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